


The Memory of Reach

by Eater_of_Unhappiness



Category: Halo (Video Games) & Related Fandoms
Genre: AH SHIT, Almost Dying, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Bonding, Canon-Typical Violence, Depression, Glassing, Healing, How Do I Tag, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Loss, My First Work in This Fandom, No Smut, No pairing - Freeform, Other, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Reach, This one's gonna be sad, cuz you know, give it a chance, whoot
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-15
Updated: 2020-06-21
Packaged: 2021-02-19 09:50:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,310
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22742629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eater_of_Unhappiness/pseuds/Eater_of_Unhappiness
Summary: Found in cryo sleep on a low powered pelican, the Infinity find someone they had only heard of in rumors and stories told by Jun. Will this lost Spartan be able to cope with the ending of the first covenant war or will the haunting memories they hold keep them back in the past?A/N: Chapters 1 and 2 are edited and named!!! Chapter 3 is coming soon!
Comments: 3
Kudos: 50





	1. Discovered

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A Message
> 
> A Reminder
> 
> A Sign

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's back!!! Thanks for the wait!!!

Jun woke with a start, memories of his nightmares coming in full force.

**_Kat's collapsed body and ruined helm._ **

**_Jorge's final words and sacrifice._ **

**_Word that he was the last of NOBLE team and how each had died._ **

**_Carter flying his pelican into a scarab so the package could be safely delivered to the Autumn._ **

**_Emile taking an energy sword to the chest and taking out as many as he could before he bled to death saving the Autumn._ **

**_And Noble six... Their newest member... Supposedly killed in the same way._ **

****

**_All marked M.I.A._ **

He brought a hand to his face and stared blindly at the thin blanket that covered him. Every time in every dream, he was always too late to save them. He couldn't stop them and it killed him slowly every night.

 _'Surviver's guilt.'_ His mind oh so usefully supplied as he pushed himself to his feet. He had to move on but how could he? That was his team, his family, the ones he could trust fully and just like a gust of wind, they were all taken from him by the covenant. 

Like their desperate efforts to save Reach were nothing.

Like the blood they shed and hours spent in the line of fire meant nothing.

_Like they were nothing._

Jun shook those thoughts out of his overworked mind. They would do him no good, no peace would be achieved if he lingered on them.

So he mangaed to push himslef off of his bed, get dressed in his uniform, and made his way to the Mess Hall. 

He was needed in the bridge and lamenting would not help him.

_______________________________________________

"You found what exactly?" The Spartan heard Palmer ask with a tinge of annoyance obvious in her voice as Jun walked onto the bridge. 

"A pelican to be exact but it's clearly been modified. We tried hailing it but have received nothing but this." The officer replied as he played the audio. A bunch of clicks and pauses filled the large room and, after the long string of sounds, was ended with loud ping before the sound repeated. Jun listened closely.

"Morse code." Palmer announced as Roland got to working on the message the archaic use of communication was delivering before he shook his virtual head.

"Here is the translation." The A.I. said and pulled it up for all to hear. Jun listened to the robotic voice that Roland had used and stood stock still.

_(... UNSC Spartan B-312, Noble Six. Requesting immediate assistance and orders. I repeat this is Spartan B-312, The last of NOBLE team on Reach. Reach has fallen and I am in need of immediate extraction...)_

The recording continues into a colorful use of swears and like that, the message ends and repeats. The room silent except the repeating audio and the noises of the machinery.

"Six? Alive? Jun, you were the only one to get off planet side Correct?" Palmer asked as she turned to the Spartan. All of his attion tuned towards the bright Yellow A.I. and the message that repeated once more. Jun slowly worked through each word the audio had for him.

"I... Believed so, however it was possible that the insurrection stole UNSC property in a last ditch attempt to escape the Glassing after the UNSC had abandon their posts for the evac." Jun said slowly before coughing into his hand to clear his dry, clogged throat.

"Ma'am." Palmer turned to him with a sigh leaving her mouth. Already knowing what he was going to ask.

"Take yourself and Blue Team to recover the package. If it is in fact a trap, destroy the Imposter." Jun nodded and headed out. 

For the first time in a very long while...

...He would need his armour.


	2. Found

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A Meaning
> 
> A Duty
> 
> A Time

It was only a few hours before the mission report was given to Blue Team. As a result of the delicate situation, Blue Team would be working with a retired Spartan known as Jun. Chief watched the man slide his helmet on, a sigh of relief leaving him as if he had been reunited with an old friend.

"So is that the escort?" Fred asked, his voice followed by the familiar sound of an AR clunking against his armour.

"Spartan Jun, A-266, Noble three and the last of NOBLE team. He is part of the SPARTAN 3 Program and is the reason for the SPARTAN Four program." Linda told The Blue Spartan as she checked her gear. John gave her a nod and approached the Spartan 3.

"Sierra-117, Leader of Blue Team. We're here to help with the recovery of the package." The Spartan Leader said formally. John knew Jun already knew all of this but the formalities helped to break the ice.

"Jun, A-266. The Package is a few klicks from the Infinity. The Package is in a modified Pelican so we don't know exactly what to find in there. The mission is to Locate and retrieve the Package." Jun told John and his team. 117 understood the situation then and there.

_**They were going into an unknown situation.** _

__

_**No idea on how many tangos.** _

__

_**No idea what they were going for.** _

__

_**No idea if it was still even there.** _

John relayed this to his team, earning a displeased huff from Kelly as she packed a few extra mags.

_______________________________________________

After a short drive in an actually working Pelican, the team board the location. Weapons raised and a quick sweep of the cramped loading area done. As the five man team boarded, their movements in the small area caused the sensor lights to turn on and for A-266 to almost drop his DMR. In front of them was a cryo unit surrounded by stacks of power sources; all cramped close together and connecting to the unit in front of them. Noble three stilled in his forward push despite the other team surrounding the cryo unit. No. He could see, past the dust and frost, an armor piece of dulled rose and steel. He approached the cryo unit slowly before running an armoured hand over where the face would be.

Blue Team waited for Jun to finish as they all heard a hissed gasp.

"Noble... Six..." Of course he would recognize that Recon helmet. The dark steel clashing with a bright pink. The visor a deep black that Jun could see his own helm in.

He remembered mentioning idly to the new NOBLE member that they'd make a good distraction with all of that bright pink.

Based off of the reports... She did...

"We have to get them out..." The Retired Spartan stated as he shook the thoughts out of his head. Never sparing a glance towards the team with his eyes locked toward that familiar visor. John motioned his head towards the capsule and the two female Spartans approached it, looking for the emergency latch, which Kelly found with efficient quickness. 

"You may want to stand to the side." Kelly warned as she pulled the latch.

_______________________________________________

The first thing Noble Six noticed is that she was cold.

The second was that she was sore and felt awful. 

The third was that she wasn't alone. 

Opening her eyes slowly against the heavy lids, she saw nothing but darkness.

She decided the best thing to do was wiggle her fingers one by one until she got to moving her body.

Just to fight away the cold.

Until she could finally take a step.

Just so she could asset the situation.

Just until that familiar voice made sense.

And when she could finally move, there were already hands on her. 

They were making her move forward until she had the strength to move on her own. 

Just for Six to lift her arms and remove her helmet so she could see past the invasive darkness that filled her vision.

And when she did, there was a collective gasp, the sound of decompression, a small groan from herself, and finally the blinding light of overhead florescents. She could barely see past it but she could pick out figures against it and she smiled.

"Ah... so I did in fact die... didn't I?" She asked herself quietly. One in big blue armour came near her and she Internally gasped. 

"Captain..." Noble six quickly straightened herself out and saluted. Dead or not, she would not be rude to Noble One.

"Spartan B-312. Noble Six of NOBLE Team reporting, Sir." Her words were slow, sluggish, and quiet but she ignored it. Just like she ignored the pains from her newly acquired cryo burns. Her eyes adjusting to the light, she spotted a Spartan in green next to the other and noticed that neither of them were part of any team she recognized. She still did her best to stand straight as the one in green gave her a salute back. 

"Sierra-117, leader of Blue Team." They both lowered their hands, Noble Six feeling nausea and exhaustion wash over her. The pain from her realized Cryo rash wouldn't go away for weeks, maybe even months. Still, she shook it away to the back of her mind. Sierra-117 would need a mission update.

"Report. Reach has fallen. I have managed to get away in a stolen Pelican that the insurrectionists repurposed just before the glassing. Unfortunately, myself and Noble 3 we're the only two to leave planet side. The rest of NOBLE are... Compromised." She had to stop at the last part. Her own words causing pain. 

Lone wolf aside...

... having only know them for less than a week aside...

...she weeped for them.

_**The only team to take her in readily without question.** _

__

_**Dead at the hands of the covvies.** _

__

_**All gone...** _

"Six?" She heard behind her. It was familiar, like she heard it yesterday. Noble Six turned slowly, her pale green eyes searching and locking with darker ones.

"J...Jun..." Soon the world turned dark around her and she fell. 

Finally at her limit.

Finally resting.

She would never hear Jun's desperate attempt to catch her fall.


	3. Awoken

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A slumber disturbed.
> 
> A warrior awoken.
> 
> Blood not spilt

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Im so so sorry this took so long. Im still getting use to the characters and their personalities. This chapter went through a shit ton of rewritting. Thank you for the patience you all have!!

The next time Six opened her eyes, it felt like a flash bomb had gone off right next to her. She slammed her eyes shut and took in what she could.

She was laying down on something soft.

She could smell antiseptics and hear the beeping of medical equipment.

She slowly cracked an eye open.

The walls were an almost blinding white

She thought through a hazy mind that it's possible she was in an medbay.

And then she realized a few more things

She's not wearing her armor.

She's in quickly building pain

She is most certainly alive.

That alone made her sit up. Her body ached, was sore, and somehow felt like a stone wall had been placed on her.

"Fucking Cryo burns..." She mumbled as she looked down at her bandaged body. Her burned and blistered body was covered in loosely wrapped, stunningly white bandaging. It was the cleanest thing on her body since she was sent to reach. She sighed softly and tried to stand from the bed she was in. Swinging her legs over the edge and placing her feet on the ground.

She stepped forward...

...and felt nothing but pain before she took another step forward.

She made little progress. Her left leg buckled beneath her as soon as she applied pressure. Thoughts of the fall from orbit came to her groggy mind. She pushed them away as she stood back up, eager to keep mind off of what would come next. 

She braced herself as she resumed her tentative walk. One step...

And another until she was at the door and slowly getting it opened.

Turns out that wherever she is has automatic doors.

Cool.

So much for being stealthy. 

Six took a deep breath as she left the medbay and entered the hall. She saw what looked like marines watching her make her way down, using the wall until she felt her balance return. She hadn't realized how bad off her feet were. One of the strangers approached her and she bent over in pain from her blisters. She took deep breathes as they got closer.

Unsc marine.

Lanky, tall, high and tight. New soldier.

She could take him if he didn't give her the information she wanted.

"Ma'am? You should return to the Medbay." He placed a hand against one of her burned shoulders, followed by a small squeeze to get her attention, and pain spiked through her spine. She only realized she had thrown the man to the ground after the fact. Not one to back down easily, Six twisted his arm. 

"Where am I?" She demanded more than asked and took in the fact that other soldiers were approaching her quickly. She sighed and began to keep herself in check so she didn't kill them.

________________

"Ma'am?" Roland's voice was drowmed out out by the alarm a marine pulled before being found unconscious with many more in the same hallway found in a similiar state. The cause unknown by all but Roland who was currently trying to tell this information to the Spartan Commander but wasn't getting a responce. He turned to Laskey. 

"Sir?!" The AI raised his voice in an attempt to get the Captain's attention. 

An attempt that succeeded.

"Yes Roland?" Laskey looked towards the yellow AI with tired eyes. Roland almost felt bad for bringing bad news. 

"Remember the Spartan 3 that Blue Team and Jun brought on board that was in the MedBay..." 

"Wait... Was?!" That finally got Palmer's attention. Roland made it a point to roll his eyes as he pulled up a small 3D map of the area around the Infirmary.

"These three halls are where we found the unconscious Marines." Roland highlighted the hallways. "Turns out our special guest escaped the Medbay and, in her confusion, is knocking out everyone in her path." He looked up at the commanders as Palmer placed her hand on the table.

"Looks like she's heading into the Spartan training rooms. They should be well populated around this time." Palmer stated as she began to leave the Helm. 

"Where are you going Palmer?" Laskey asked as the woman left through the door.

"To watch the show."

_______________________

Even in her somewhat panicked state, Six could recognize a Spartan II when she saw one. Tall with weird eyes. She commented on Jorge's once. 

"Seems like they would have that red eye effect if I took a picture of you." And they would have a laugh about it. She shook her thoughts away and focused back on the room. Filled with Spartan IIs' that fit Jorge's description.

"Fuck..." She muttered out before retreating as one began to approach her. Six ran dowm the hall, ignoring the pain and blood falling behind her. Some spartan she would be if a little blood loss stopped her mission. The next door that she had opened wasn't as filled as the last one but still populated. These people looked at her with worry and concern. She absolutely hated that look. She heard a man speaking not too far off.

"I don't think she's supposed to be here." The voice was the same one Six had heard from beyond the door. Looking towards it she saw a brunette male and a ginger haired woman who rolled her eyes so hard, Six believed they would roll out of her head. Movement gathered her attention towards another man who was slowly approaching her with the same speed and caution you would with an injured dog.

"Are y..." She interrupted him with a swift hook to his jaw. Her hand now warm and sticky. 

Blood...

...Hers...

...Sticking to the bandgages that were beginning to unwrap; revealing popped blisters and angry burns underneath the once pristine cloth. She braced herself as the rest of the group began to approach her. Some splitting off to check on the man, such as the red headed woman, while others were closing in. She was outnumbered and injured. She tried again.

"I will ask a final time. Where am I?" Six asked. Her voice scratchy before she raised an injured hand and coughed into it. Pulling it away she saw drops of blood before another hand grabbed her wrist and slammed her to the ground. She bit her lip to keep from howling in pain. More blood dripping from reopened wounds she wasn't aware of. She glared at the woman above her as she moved her feet under her only to feel her arm pulled and a foot on her shoulder.

"Stay down and listen. You are on the UNSC Infinity." The dirty blonde woman spat at Six slowly. The heavily injured woman growled lowly.

So she was with the UNSC? 

Didn't matter. All she wanted now was this damned woman off of her. But her strength, and blood, was draining from her strained muscles rapidly. She need more answers. She needed to...

She fell asleep again as she heard people demanded she opened her eyes.

__________________

Jun wasn't told Six was awake. Jun was brought to the med bay to see the woman handcuffed to the bed she was in. Saying only her rank and Spartan tag. He knew this tactic because that was standard for being captured behind enemy lines.

"Why did you attack those men?" Spartan Commander Palmer would ask and would only get a scratchy "Lieutenant Spartan Bravo-3-1-2." Palmer groaned at her answer and Jun swore he saw a smirk on burned skin. 

Laskey decided he would try.

"Ma'am please. We want to help you but you need to cooperate with us." 

Jun watched his old teammate contemplate what the Captain had said and opened her mouth. 

"Lieutenant Spartan Bravo-3-1-2." 

Noble Three watched The Spartan Commander resist the urges to put sizable dents in the wall next to her. Jun took this as a sign to intervene and stepped ahead of the two captains. 

He heard Six take a deep breath before looking away. 

He had expected this disbelief. It had been years since they had last met but did it feel that way to the fellow NOBLE? Silly questions like that weren't necessary at a time like this. Jun stood at the foot of Six's bed. 

"Good evening Lieutenant."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Six running through the Infinity:
> 
> WHERES.
> 
> MY. 
> 
> SUPER SUIT?!?!?


	4. Healing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A progress
> 
> A process
> 
> A friend

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm so sorry this took so long. Covid killed my drive to write anything. Please enjoy.

  
  
Six prided herself on her patience. Having to wait hours before taking the shot, Scoping out the LZ for the rescue team, the long waits and pelican rides between missions, and so-on and so-on but in the short three months she had spent stuck in the infirmary on the UNSC Infinity, She was stir crazy. 

The difference between all of her time in service with the UNSC and now was the fact that she was always waiting for something that she knew was coming but here? Here there was nothing to wait on other than one of the nurses, Usually a woman named Abbigal, to come and check on how her body was healing. Sure, she was making good progress due to being SPARTAN but she still wasn't allowed to get out of this damn bed outside of being allowed to walk to the bathroom. 

That however took a month and Six never felt more humiliated in her life.

The SPARTAN Three also couldn't remember a time when her hair was so long. Past her elbows and resting at her wrists were dark black locks that she wasn't use to seeing. It would need to be cut before she reented the field but for now she somewhat enjoyed running her healing hands through the soft locks.

Six was dragged out of her thoughts by a cough. Looking up she saw it was the very woman she was thinking about.

"How are you feeling today Six?" Abbigal asked as she took the injured woman's wrist and check for her pulse.

"Oh you know. No longer dying from internal bleeding but I might from boredom Abby." Six stopped herself from flinching as she felt the needle in her arm being removed and a cotton ball placed against the opened skin.

"Physically Six or I won't tell you the good news." Abbigal stated before Six flashed her an attempt at a smile.

"Abbs I'm feeling fine. It doe..."

"Honestly and in detail. Last warning." Six knew Abbigal was only slightly joking but decided not to test her. Taking a straighter sitting position and a deep breath, Six gave her "Report".

"My body feels sore and off due to months without movement, pain can be felt in the lower and mid sections of my torso, burns still sting if touched by anything but the pain has subsided considerably since my treatment began. Outside of the obvious discomfort of feeling my wounds reopen if I move wrong and the soreness from my severe lack of movement, I am over all much better." Six let out a deep sigh as she felt her lungs burn from all the talking. She felt pathetic that even this was almost to much. Her attention was brought away from her inner thoughts when she felt a gentle, callused hand on her upper arm.

"Thank You Six. Now let me finish giving you a physical and I'll get to the good news." Six nodded and went back to her thoughts. 

Abbigal was a kind woman. Mid thirties and gentle. Six got to somewhat know her in her time on the Infinity. The Spartan knows that she like reading old literature on her days off or when its quiet in the Infirmary. Six learned her least favorite thing were Spartans who refused to stay in the medbay and refused to be honest about their injuries unless they happened to be fatal. 

Six still felt called out. 

Abbigal prefered to be called Abby and liked wearing warm colored scrubs. She said it helps the patients to see a splash of color amongst all the sterile whites, greens, and black colors and Six agreed. The Spartan looked forward to seeing Abbigal because of the conversations the older woman would give her. She would take time to talk to Six and on some occasions, loan her a book. Right now she was working through a particularly old one called "The Kettle of Gold" from the later years of the 21st century. Six also found out that Abby was the Nurse in charge of most, if not all, hosptialized SPARTANS as she was one of the few medical professionals that had the necessary training to treat them. Abby explained that Spatans had more need of Doctors than nurses as they were constantly in and out but having a couple of nurses on hand never hurt to ease the tension between the hurried Spartans and the Studious doctors. Another cough would draw Six out of her musing and was asked to open her mouth. Doing so always indicated the end of the physical and Abby pulled away. 

"Other than the usual, you are healing nicely. Your blisters are gone and the burns will soon follow. However, the holes in your chest as always the point of concern. While they did cauterize, they are slow to heal." Six tightened her fists around the soft fabric of her blanket. She hated this so much. She wanted to be back out on the field by this point fighting for...

...for who? 

For what?

The Human-Covenant war was over. Minus the few branches of the Covenant that remained, the war was as good as over. Roland explained that thanks to NOBLE Team getting The Pillar of Autumn and Cortana, the AI they were tasked getting off Reach apparently, they were able to end the war. She was sure they had gone into details but Six was shocked by the fact that they had won... And with the help of Covenant defects.

Six was left staring at her hands against pearl white sheets and grimaced at the pure white bandages covering them. She hated being this weak but knew trying another "escape" was ill advised due to the guards stationed outside the Infirmary's door. 

"Six? Did you hear me?" Abby asked as she waved a scarred hand in front if the Spartan's face. Six blinked a few times before looking up.

"Pardon me but I didn't." Six didn't like that she was continuously getting lost in her thoughts but she blamed the inactivity.

"I said that you will start your physical therapy in two weeks. Until then, you are to rest and relax as much as possible. Now take these and rest." Abby held out a small clear cup with quite a few medications resting inside. Six took them without question and followed them with the provided water. She was past the wariness that haunted her the first few weeks after her and the ship AI Roland spent a week straight talking about whatever Roland could about the war and what occured while Six was in Cryo. Six shoke her head slightly before she could become lost in thought again. Being distracted would not help here.

"Thanks Abbs. That is good news. Do you know who will be overseeing it?" Six asked as she handed the cups back. Hoping Abby could bring some ease to her heavy mind.

"Unfortunately no. However, I will be the on-site nurse so you'll have one familiar face in the room." Six truly did enjoy Abbigal's company. She had to find a way to repay the woman for being so tolerant to all of Six's stunts. The woman did enjoy old bokks so maybe Six could hunt a rarer one down for the kind woman once she was free to go planet side again.

"Until then, rest up. I expect you to be on your best behavior." Abbigal more ordered than suggested as she replaced Six's blanket.

"Yes mom." Six said as she picked up her borrowed book and began reading.


End file.
